Using the vSphere Client

The vSphere Client is an interface for administering vCenter Server and ESXi.

The vSphere Client user interface is configured based on the server to which it is connected:

When the server is a vCenter Server system, the vSphere Client displays all the options available to the vSphere environment, according to the licensing configuration and the user permissions.

When the server is an ESXi host, the vSphere Client displays only the options appropriate to single host management.

Note:

If you want to enable an Active Directory user to log in to a vCenter Server instance by using the vSphere Client with SSPI, you must join the vCenter Server instance to the Active Directory domain. For information on how to join a vCenter Server Appliance with an external Platform Services Controller to an Active Directory domain, see the VMware knowledge base article at http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2118543.

When you first log in to the vSphere Client, it displays a Home page with icons that you select to access vSphere Client functions. When you log out of the vSphere Client, the client application retains the view that was displayed when it closed, and returns you to that view when you next log in.

You perform many management tasks from the Inventory view, which consists of a single window containing a menu bar, a navigation bar, a toolbar, a status bar, a panel section, and pop-up menus.

In the case where ESXi or vCenter Server is newly installed and no inventory objects have been added, the Getting Started tabs guide you through the steps of adding items to the inventory and setting up the virtual environment.

The console of a powered-on virtual machine is available through a connected server. All console connections to the virtual machine see the same information. The message line indicates the number of active connections viewing the virtual machine.

When you are connected to a vCenter Server system with the vSphere Client, you can search the vSphere inventory for virtual machines, hosts, datastores, networks, or folders that match specified criteria.

vCenter Server objects are datacenters, networks, datastores, resource pools, clusters, hosts, and virtual machines. Selecting an object allows you to view the status of the object and enables the menus so you can select actions to take on the object.

After the server component of a plug-in is installed and registered with vCenter Server, its client component is available to vSphere clients. Client component installation and enablement are managed through the Plug-in Manager dialog box.

You can view a list of users who are logged in to a vCenter Server system when your vSphere Client is connected to that server. You can end sessions, and you can send a message to all users logged on to an active session.